Vacuum cleaner



Dec. 2.6, 1950 M. G. slsEMoRE 2,535,963

VACUUM CLEANER Filed June 1o, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 J2 0 /f l:l 3 A Jr- 2g 7' 97 35. i J j; 5 da 11" a/ 5-1 J 5 @2 f5 JNVENTOR.

W-Mmarwwm/ fcompanying drawings, in which:

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE `2,535,963 VACUUM c LiazANER` Marshall G. S-iscmore, Tulsa, Okla. Application-Julie 10, 1947, Serial No. 753,697

This application relates to for household use. l

In the vacuum cleaners of the prior art, the dirt-collecting receptacle is ordinarily'a bag."" It is often the case that the vacuum cleaner is damaged because the operator continues to run same after the bag has been lled. `This -can readily a vacuum cleaner happen because the operatorseldom knows when the bag has been iilled. Operation of the machine for even a few minutesvafter the bag has l been filled will severely damage the machine. This disadvantage is obviated in the vacuumv cleaner `ofthe present invention by providing a dirt-collecting receptacle in the form of a transparent glass container. It is well-known that people like to see machinery in operation and to see what they are doing when they are operating it, and a glass dirt container according to the present invention will encourage the operator to use the "machine `cleaner which is readily removable for emptying and cleaning.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner having the dirt-collecting receptacle in the form of a rigid container of quick action means for securing the container in place and releasing same. Y

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner having a Auniflow passage for the air in suspended dirt. f

Itis still another object of the present inven tion-.to provide a vacuum cleaner havingf a dirtcollecting receptacle in the form of a rigid container with a novel form of filter for separating `the suspended dirt from the air stream and causing same to deposit in the dirtcollecting `receptacle.

Additional objects, advantages, and improvements will become apparent from the following specification, taken in connection `with the ac- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the vacuum cleaner of the present invention, showing the dirt-collecting receptacle locked in position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of the vacuum cleaner showing the dirt-collecting receptacle in released position;

Figure 3 isa sectional view on the section line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the releasingmeans `for removing the dirt-collecting receptacler 2 claims. (criss-37) Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through one form of dirt-collecting filter; Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through another form of dirt-collecting iilter.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and to Figure 1 in particular, the vacuum cleaner ofthe present invention is here shown as being mounted on a portable base I Il which is preferably Vof streamlined construction, as shown in Figure 2. i The base I 0 is carried on four rollers I I for move- Ament over the floor. In the top of the base I0 there is formed a semi-cylindrical groove I2 within which is received the main housing I1 of the vacuum cleaner. The housingl'l is of generally "circular contour, but is cut away at I8 for 180 l for more than half of its height. The top of the "housing I1 is of dome shape at 23 and has a large central aperture therein which receives anauxiliary or motor casing 29. The motor casing 29 at its bottom rests on a plate 2| secured within the housing II in any suitable manner, as by welding. Over the top of the motor casing 29 there is fitted a domed cap 3U having an apertured centralboss 3I which forms an air exit.

Within the auxiliary casing 29 there is mounted an electric motor 35, preferably of the totallyenclosed type. 'I'he motor frame is formed with integral radially extending legs 32 adiacent its upper end, which legs are secured to the casing 29 by short stud bolts 33. Adjacent the lower end of the motor frame, there are provided a plurality, four being shown, of arcuately-spaced, shock-absorbing members 34, `preferably of soft rubber, which resiliently mount the motor 35 within the casing 29. The shaft 36 and the motor 35 mount either a single or a double fan 31, a double fan 31-31 being illustrated. Intermediate thenpper l and lower fan sections 31-31, there is positioned a plate 8D having a central aperture 8| therein, through which the shaft 36 of the electric motor 35 extends. The plate 8U has integral upwardly extendingarms 82 thereon which at their tops are iturned inwardly to forni fingers 83. The fingers 83 are secured .to theframe of the electric motor 35 either by force t or by welding. Similarly,

under the lower fan section 31, there is positioned a-plate B5 having a central aperture 8st therein throughwhich the shaft 35 of the electric motor 35 also extends. The plate 85 likewise has integral upwardly extending arms 85 formed thereon, and these are secured to the arms 82 on the top plate 80 by screws 8l. The area of the central aperture 84 in the lower plate 85 is approximately twice the area of the central aperture 8I in the upper plate 80.

A supply cord extends through a suitable insulating bushing 25 inthe dome top 23 of the housing. Also positioned `in the top 23 of the housing there is a switch 26 Vfor controlling the circuitof the motor 35. The electrical connecbeveled at 20 to receive same.

be wound around the cord clips 28--2/8 when the vacuum cleaner is not being used.

The upper plate 2| is formed with a central aperture which is surrounded on the under face of the plate by a circumferential bead 22. Below Athe plate 2| there is positioned a klower plate I9,

likewise secured in the housing I1 in any suitable manner, as by welding. A funnel-shaped :hood is comprised of a bottom cylindrical section 38. a frustoconical intermediate section 4I and a 4cylindrical top section 43. The frusto-conica-l intermediate section 4I of the hood is fitted within the central aperture in the plate I9, which is suitably The hood is held in place by a spider which is comprised of an aperture top plate 45, and arcuately-spaced, downwardly-depending legs 45 which are secured to the plate I9 by screws 41. The top plate 45 receives the cylindrical top section 43 of the hood, which latter may be secured therein by spot welding, if desired. The cylindrical top section 4,3 of the hood is received within the central aperture in the upper plate 2l and secured therein by an Vannular gasket 44, which is U-shape in cross section, fitted over the circumferential bead 2,2 .on the plate and which abuts the top section of the hood. The upper end of the cylindrical .top section 43 of the hood is partially restricted by a plate 43 which is force-fitted therein, this plate having a plurality of holes 49 therethrough.

The dirt-retaining lters are shown in Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4, the inner wall of the lower `cylindrical section 38 of the hood is formed with an internal bead 3,9, adjacent the juncture of the lower cylindrical section and the frusto-conical intermediate section 4I. The filter element is comprised of a screen or reticulated grid member 50 formed as the segment of a spherical surface. This screen is covered by a cloth member 5 I preferably of silk. The periphery of the screen is flattened, and together with the periphery of the top member 5I is held against the under surface of the frusto-conical intermediate section 4I of the yhood by a ilat ring gasket 52, ywhich in turn is held in place by a circular ring gasket forceiitted in the groove 39.

In the modication shown in AFigure 5, the frusto-conical intermediate section 4I of the hood `is replaced by a plain horizontal section 42. The lter element is here also comprised of a screen or reticulated grid member 54, but of cylindrical shape with a at top 55. As before, the screen element is covered by a cloth bag 5I Around the lower periphery of the screen element 54, there Vis va circumferential flange 56 which is held in the groove 39 by the flat ring gasket 5?. and a circular ring gasket 53, as in the previous construction.

The dirt-collecting receptacle is comprised of a glass jar having a cylindrical body 51, a frustoconical neck section 6I, and a cylindrical upper or mouth section 62. The cylindrical upper section 62 is adapted to t within the lower cylindricalsection 33 of the funnel-shaped hood and to be encompassed by the ring gasket A53 therein to, Yferm en. .air-tight joint. For; mounting the dirt-collecting receptacle in place, the lower Cylindrical section 38 of the hood is provided with diametrically-spaced, snap detents 40-4D adapted to cooperate with diametrically-spaced lugs 60-60 at the junction of the neck section 6I and the cylindrical upper section 62 of the dirt-collecting receptacle. 'The body 51 of the dirt-co1- lecting receptacle is formed with a radiallyextending hollow :boss 58 having a bayonet slot 59 in its wall. A hose 65 extends to the usual nozzle or'dirt-pick-up device (not shown), and this hose has a coupling 64 at its inner end with a bayonet pin 66 thereon, this pin cooperating `with the bayonet slot `59 in the hollow boss 58 to secure the hose thereto.

The direct-collecting receptacle is supported by a platform 61, which is mounted `for reciprocation in a recess I3 in the base IIJ. ',Ifhe dirt-collecting receptacle is held in position on the platform 61 and against sliding movement by a cup 6,8 which is secured tothe platform by any sui-table means. such as screws (not shown). VThe platform 16,1 is mounted on a plurality of arcuately-spaced coil compression springs 69, four of these beingshown. The springs 69 are seated in wells I4 formed in the platform I9 and extending downwardly from the bottom of the recess I3.

A reeling mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the platform 61. Ashaft 19 is lrotatably mounted in a transverse bore in the platform I0, which bore crosses a central aperture I5 in the `platform communicating with the recess I3. The shalt 16 has an operating arm or handle 1 3 on one end which is secured thereto by a radiallypositioned set screw 1i passing through integral boss 12 on one end of the handle. A knob 1.4 is secured on the other end of the `operating handle. At its central section, and within the central aperture i5, a winding drum 1,5 is secured to the shaft "I9, as by a set screw or a key (not shown). A cord 16 is secured at one end to the drum 15, (the attachment means not being shown) and Vat its other end to van eyelet 11 on the bottom of a platform 51. Adjacent the opposite end of the shaft 1? from the operating handle 1.3, there is mounted a ratchet gear 18, which is revceived within a recess `I 6 extending upwardly from the bottom of the platform I9. A gravtyfloiased detent 19 extends downwardly through a suitable hole in the platform lf3 and cooperates with the ratchet gear 18 to secure the shaft 1t in either of two pre-selected positions of the operating handle 13.

The operation of the vacuum .cleaner ,of the present invention should be apparent from the above description. It may, however, be summarized as follows: The electric motor 35 drives a fan 31, which, as previously stated, may be either a single or a double fan, but is here Vshown as of double construction. The fans 31-31 drive air and suspended dirt from the nozzle or dirtpick-up device (not shown) through the hose 65. The suspended dirt is removed from theY air stream by the screen or reticulated grid member 50, or`54, as the case may be, and by the cloth bag 5I over the top of the screen and falls into the dirt-collecting receptacle 51. rihe operator is able to see the dirt-collecting receptacle 51 through the cut-out section iS in the housing rI1 and to observe the dirt falling into the jar during the operation of the vacuum cleaner and to know when the jar is lilled. The air, after being V.relieved of its suspended dirt, passes on upwardly through the upper cylindrical section 43 of the funnel-shaped hood, and the apertured plate 48.

The air drawn by the lower fan section 31 passes through the central aperture 84 in the lower plate 85, along the blading, between the vertical arms 85 and upwardly through the spaces between tlie shock-absorbing members 34, the annular space between the auxiliary casing 29 and the frame and the motor 35, the spaces between the motor legs 32, and out through the opening 3i in the dome cap 30; similarly, the air drawn by the upper fan section 31 passes through the central aperture 80 in the lower plate 85, the hub of the lower fan section 31, the central aperture 8i' in the upper plate 80, and upwardly between the fingers 83 on the vertical arm 32 and between the shock-absorbing members 34 joining the first air stream in the annular space between the auxiliary casing 29 and the frame of electric motor 35. In passing around the frame of the electric motor 35, the combined air streams incidentally aid in keeping same cool.

In order to remove the dirt-collecting receptacle 51 for emptying, the operator releases detents 40-40 on the lower cylindrical section 38 of the funnel-shaped hood from engagement with the lugs 6-0-60 on the upper cylindrical section 52 of the dirt-collecting receptacle, raises the detent 19 and rotates the operating handle 13 180 in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 1. The cord 16 will be wound around the drum 15, drawing the platform 51 and dirt-collecting receptacle 51 downwardly against the compression of the springs 69-69 to the position shown in Figure 2. The detent 19 will engage with the ratchet gear 68 to lock the shaft in a corresponding position. The hose 65 may be readily detached from the dirt-collecting receptacle 51 by unscrewing the bayonet connection 59--63. After the dirt-collecting receptacle has been emptied, the converse procedure is followed to replace same. With the dirt-collecting receptacle 51 removed, the lter bag 5| may also be removed for cleaning by taking out the top ring gasket 53, in which case the screen or reticulated grid member 50 or 54, as the case may be, and the bag 5| will fall downwardly.`

While the above description and annexed drawings set forth the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes may be resorted to in the sizes, shapes, and relative arrangements of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a base, a housing mounted upon the base and having an opening formed in its side near its bottom, a substantially horizontal platform mounted upon the base within the housing, a transparent dirt collecting receptacle mounted upon the platform and provided at its top with a neck, springs arranged beneath the platform to elevate it and permit the lowering of the platform for removal of the receptacle, a hose detachably connected with the side of the receptacle beneath its neck, a hood mounted within the housing above the transparent recen tacle and having its lower end open to receive the neck and having an upper reduced end, a compressible gasket within the hood to receive the neck therein and form therewith an air tight joint, a horizontal plate within the upper end of the housing and having an opening to receive the upper reduced end of the hood, a suction device within the housing above the horizontal plate including rotary fan means, a motor to drive the fan means, and a dirt strainer within the hood above the gasket.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a base, provided upon its upper face with a recess, a housing mounted upon the base and surrounding the recess and having an opening formed in its side near its bottom, a substantially horizontal platform mounted for movement within the recess, springs arranged Within the recess and beneath the platform to raise the platform and permit its lowering into the recess, a horizontal shaft carried by the base and arranged beneath the platform, a winding device operated by the shaft and including a nexible element connected with the platform to draw the platform downwardly, a transparent dirt collecting receptacle mounted upon the platform and provided at its top with a neck, a hose detachably connected with the side of the receptacle beneath the neck, a. hood mounted within the housing above the transparent receptacle and having its lower end open to receive the receptacle and having an upper reduced end, a compressible gasket within the hood to receive the neck therein for forming therewith an air tight joint, a dirt filter arranged within the hood above the gasket, a horizontal plate within the upper end of the housing and having an opening to receive the upper reduced end of the hood, a vertical casing extending through the top of the housing and contacting the horizontal plate and surrounding the opening in the plate, fan means within the casing, and a motor to drive the fan means.

MARSHALL G. SISEMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordl in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 978,739 Griswold et a1 June 12, 1910 1,013,147 Flynt Jan.. 2, 1912 1,078,651 Winans et al Nov. 18, 1913 1,184,574 Schlesinger May 23, 1916 1,458,602 Upton June 12, 1923 1,880,665 Barker Oct. 4, 1932 2,025,946 Wenner-Gren Dec. 31, 1935 2,152,756 Billmyre Apr. 4, 1939 2,219,567 Spielman Oct. 29, 1940 2,327,181 Dunbar Aug. 17, 1943 2,397,980 Petri Apr.. 9, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,539 Great Britain Jan 31, 1907 

